Holiday Leftovers

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the leftover turkey or ham. This Christmas we had turkey and even after turkey sandwiches there was still leftover turkey. That last part ended up in a turkey pot pie.

Homemade pot pie really isn't that difficult to make, especially if you use the pie crust purchased from the grocery. Conveniently the crust come in packs of two, one for the top and one for the bottom. It's simple, here are the basic steps

1. Dice some potatoes and carrots, then par boil them (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.
2. Dice the turkey for the filling.
3. Melt some butter in a large pan then cook some diced onion until translucent.
4. Add flour to make a roux. The longer the roux is cooked, the darker the the sauce for the pot pie will be.
5. Add chicken stock and milk to form the sauce along with the turkey, potatoes, onions, and any other vegetables you want to include.
6. Stir continuously while the mixture comes to a boil. A sous chef, in my case my wife, comes in handy here.
7. Using a deeper pie plate, spread the first pie crust over the bottom and sides.
8. Add your mixture for the pie filling.
9. Cover with the last pie crust, cut vents to let air escape and bake.

When the pot pie obtains a golden brown color, take it from the oven and let it set for about 15 minutes. This time is to allow the pie to cool to save the skin on the roof of your mouth but also to allow the pie filling to thicken back up.

If you cut the pot pie immediately after it comes from the oven, you'll need a spoon to dip the filling onto the crust. It's much better if you allow it to sit for a few minutes. The best thing about making your own pot pie is that you can add your favorite vegetables to the filling and add the spices you love the most. For me, I don't like peas (sometimes called sweet peas or english peas) so I use lima beans or green beans instead.

For me, the best view of the pot pie

is when it's ready to eat.